Bioshock: Memories
by 009nhalf
Summary: Follow Mathew Parks through Rapture as he searches Elizabeth with his memories and in the chaos of a civil that threatens to tear everything apart.
1. New Years 1959

Memories are a gift and a curse; they give us happiness and tears. Some believe that memories are just the recording of a person's five senses stored in the brain. Others believe that memories are just a slice of a person's soul. I have come to believe that the memories a person records are what give human's a being that no other creature possesses. And I have discovered that they are not just recorded in the human brain but in our molecules as well. The story I am about to tell you is about my world and the memories that remained true through the turmoil. My name? Ah well it is…

"I'm Park... Mathew Parks. Ms.," I inquired to the beautiful lady standing in front of me. In truth I knew her name and who she was. Ever since I saw her on the boat that populated Rapture I never could get over her. My only downfall was that she was the daughter of one of Rapture's biggest entrepreneurs and I was just a marine biologist.

"Elizabeth, darling," the woman replied taking another swig from her goblet of red wine and salty tears. I could smell the rolling sensation of alcohol and tobacco escaping her otherwise perfect mouth and her mascara was running faster than she could drink to forget. I offered her my handkerchief for which she sincerely thanked me.

"Well… Ms. Darling, what brings you here tonight?" I tried to go for merry and I was praying that she caught on. She paused for a second. To my relief her pursed lips broke into a grin. She just looked to pretty to be sad tonight. The ocean light glistened through the glass bathing her in its blue light.

"You are one merry gentleman I must say. And no, it's Jones: Elizabeth Jones. My father is… was the head of the fishery until, until."

"Until someone bought him out," I replied. "I read it in the papers a couple days ago. My condolences to your misfortune."

I was a little startled when she stuck her hand in my face. The light reflected off a diamond ring that clung to her finger. The refracted light cast rainbows on the far wall.

"You, your um… congrates! "

"No I hated my father, his business, and all that came with it. But I found my fiancé, h-he did."

She turned to me with an innocent face stained by grief and grasped my head with her hands. "I thought I had found love in this godforsaken hell hole. Would you ever…"

If my following sensation could be categorized by color: blue would be confusion and somewhere between pink and red would be passion-passionately her lips touched mine with her hands still clamped to my face. I grabbed for both appendages. But instead of pulling her off me, I drew her in closer. Standing by the balcony post that stared into the ocean we kissed with an infatuation that would make even the sea god, Poseidon, envois.

My racing senses suddenly rushed back to me as I heard the rooms inhabitants begin a countdown. "Ms. Jones," I pleaded pulling away from her, "I really don't think we should…"

She immediately put her finger to my lips. "Please Mr. Parks. It's new years and I don't want to feel alone. Please grant me the joy I was denied. If only for just this one night."

It was my turn to smile as she removed her finger from my lips. "I feel generous enough to give you an extension."

She giggled as I closed the gap to grace her luscious lips with my own. In the background I could hear a deafening roar of joyous merriment and singing. The room filled with confetti that ensnared all it fell upon. I gazed at the treasure I had found beneath the ocean with ecstasy.

"Happy new year Elizabeth."

"Happy new year Mathew."

Suddenly the clamor of laughter turned to screaming. Gunshots and explosions could be heard as people tore through the hallways. I realized a moment too late that we needed to move, now!

"Elizabeth we need to get somewhere safe…"

"Mathew!"

I turned to see a, a man or what was left of him grab Elizabeth and drag her away. His face and hands were contorted. I hesitated for a brief moment before tearing him away and bashing my fist across his horrid face. But instead of fazing him he pulled out a gun and shot me in the shoulder. I looked down and saw my white dress shirt turning red at a rapid pace.

"y, you bastard," I declared swaying backward. Instinctively grabbing for something to steady myself, I grabbed the man's sullied tie as I flipped over the balcony rail. I think the fear of dying is what made my grip on his noose so tight. As I hung midair with my shoulder bleeding I heard two cracking sounds and fell. The fall was cushioned by a table that gave way under the force of my fall. As my consciousness dimmed I could hear Elizabeth screaming my name and the 'Happy New Year 1959' swinging above my head.

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**Author's Notes: Well ever since finishing Bioshock 2 i've pretty much had it on the brain. And instead of continuing with my other bioshock writing i think i'm going to stick with this one. And this folks, is what happens when i brainstorm for no apparent reason. My brain pretty much shat this story out. I kinda like it when that happens though.**


	2. idealistic rescuer

My head hurt. But for what its worth, my melon was still in one piece. As my thoughts reconnected themselves I thought I could hear voices. I opened an eye to find two guys hunkering over dead corpses.

"Oye, don't take all day. We got other fish to fry y'know."

"Yay, yah. I know. More heads too scramble. Heh, heh. Humph, none of these blokes has even a drop of adam in them. Ya think with all that lovely money the'd have thought to splice up even a little bit."

I was trying not to move, make a sound, or let them know that I was still in the land of the living. My heart raced so fast I could almost swear that they could hear its pounding.

"Well keep searching. We got what we needed but not what we wanted. The trips will just a waste of lead if we can't make a bit of profit on the side."

"But I was fun watching that guys brains splatter, hah ha ha."

If only they would shut up. My brain felt like it was fire everything they tore apart the English language. My hand disobediently rose to comfort my aching head.

"Hmm. Hey check it out. We got a live one."

Both men started walking toward me. I opened my eyes and saw their gruesome faces in the watery light. One of them had a face that looked liked it had melted while other was wrinkled in odd places. My death reflected in their bulging eyes. I don't… "Want to die."

"Hey."

(Bang)

"Ghaaa!"

One of the splicers standing in front of me dropped to the ground. He cried out in pain and gripped his knee. I saw the blood ooze out of his shattered knee cap and nearly fainted. His companion swung around and fired his weapon into the empty hallway until he had expended his ammunition.

"You wonder why the filthy rich don't distort their atoms with the greatest discovery Rapture has to offer."

"Like hell I care. Come on out so I can carve your face you bastard."

"They don't because they see themselves as purist: people who haven't tampered their god given DNA. They see themselves as perfect. And let me tell you something else."

A shadow ran across the balcony. As I raised my head somebody ran across the room in front of me. I watched the man in front of me deteriorate into a state of panic while his partner whimpered.

"Hey give me the plasmid," demanded the splicer to the other.

"NO ugh. I need it same as you."

"Even if the rich and proud wanted to spice up, what need would they have to do so? Shoot fire from their palm: too much work. Become stronger or more beautiful: what and deny that they're perfect all ready? No plasmids and splicing belong to the work horses and poor. Life is hard so why not make it easier by jumbling up the puzzle that confines you."

"Just hand it over and don't sass me you…"

"Greedy aren't we," the voice whispered right next to me. I turned to see no one there.

"Jus hand it over so I can shank the bastard before he does us in."

"Heh, you couldn't take on a drowning fish."

"Ya well how about if I tries and fries 'im."

The splicer hand became alive with blue sparks. The electricity suddenly collected in his palm and leapt at his companion stunning him. The splicer reloaded his machine gun and pointed it at the man.

"Goodbye ya sorry codfish."

(bang)

The splicer dropped the weapon. The surprised look on his face almost made me chuckle. He looked at his hand and saw light through the hole in it.

"Ghaaaaa." It was his turn to cry out in pain. The other splicer laughed heartily until the pain returned causing him to clutch his own leg.

"But you know what?"

The faceless voice now stood before the two bleeding men and myself. He wore brown working pants and a white shirt with suspenders.

"The rich and the proud…"

One of the splicers desperately became shooting lighting at the man talking while the other tried shooting him. The lighting struck the man but he didn't seem to mind. The bullets struck the far wall as the man vanished into thin air. He reappeared a second later with the remnants of the electricity still jumping around him.

"They just don't know what they are missing," the man chuckled. He then drew two pistols and shot both splicers. I watched both bodies flop to the ground lifeless. I tried to stand up but my shaky legs crumbled beneath me.

"Whoa slow down chap," said the man holstering his pistols. "There's no need to be in a rush yet."

"You, your," the only words I could muster as my head throbbed, hard.

"I am the guy that just saved your ass and you're someone who's about to short out."

"What do yooo," consciousness failed.

**Author's Notes: So i have one question for all my existing and non-existing readers. How am i doing with the dialogue? Too much? Too little? Too British??? lol. Anywho i definitely had fun writing this one. It really put me in the game. Let me know if the feeling ever becomes mutual or agian to much. Thanks.**


	3. Coming of the hero

"Hey wake up already. You've slept long enough already. Hey…"

I felt something slapping my face repeatedly. My eyes fluttered as the liquid in my head congealed.

"There now, that's a good boy. Drink this… it will help you wake up."

A bottle was helped to my parched lips. The fluid escaped from the bottle and greeted my throat with a weird sensation. It felt tingly. It felt like my throat was, was burning! My eyes flew open as I grabbed my throat and sputtered wildly. I tried to use my other arm to steady myself but fell back when a sharp pain seared through it. I looked at my shoulder to see blood leaking through fresh bandages.

(hack) (cough)

"Heh he. Like it don't ya. Told you it would wake ya up. And you'd best not use that arm for a bit."

With red teary eyes I stared at my savior and glared at him for his cruelty. I coughed a couple more times then found my voice was hardly a whisper from drinking the whiskey.

"Mathew Parks," I whispered hoarsely.

"Ah, Charlie Riggs, but people call me chuck. Welcome back to the world of the living chap." The man smiled oddly as I shook his hand. "Here take this. You'll need it."

Riggs tossed me the pistol from the dead guy. I caught the weapon midair only to receive a machine gun to the gut.

"Ah, sorry chap. Wasn't looking."

Normally I would have been exchanging words with this fellow, some of them about his mother, but how could you become cross with a man who just saved your life. "I hardly noticed it anyway… And I want to thank you for saving my life. I thought myself done for."

"Think nothing of it. Well," he said scratching his chin. "I could use your help if you're interested enough." Chuck walked up to the glass window and stared into the murky water, watching the fish swimming by it. "She's my wife. Her name is Beatrice. I had work tonight so she celebrated the new years alone. Sucks eh. Almost made it here before hell broke loose in all of Rapture. What about you?"

"I was just here for the view and champagne enjoying new years like everyone else. Those hellish blokes have very bad timing. And now that I think about it I'm looking for someone as well. Call me old fashioned but I don't think I could sleep at night knowing I left a woman in the hands of those monsters."

"Haha, that the spirit man. Now just give me a second to deal with these dead splicers."

I watched in curiosity as Chuck took a long syringe out of a leather pouch he had. He jabbed into the chest of the spliced up dead man. The red goo he withdrew was murky. "This my new friend," he said holding up the syringe, "is tainted plasmids. You see the little sisters bodies refine the stuff when they ingest it. They take out all the human byproducts and DNA that would otherwise mix with the next users DNA."

"So that stuffs dangerous?"

"Naw, not at all. The only thing that can happen eventually is that you'll start seeing things and not much more. If you ask me it's a small price to pay when playing the hero." Chuck stared with a decisive look. "I already have the plasmids I need but don't think you necessarily have too… you're not a purist are you?"

"Well I," I replied pondering my situation. Being deadweight was never my thing. I thought of just leaving and saving my own skin and sanity. But then I saw Elizabeth crying softly alone before I had approached her. Then I remembered her screams as she was dragged away. It was then that I determined that my own safety would have to wait. "Give me that," I said swiping the syringe and sticking the sharp end into my forearm. The pain of the metal tip piercing my skin paled in comparison to that of my DNA being ripped to shreds and my body along with it. My hair stood on end as static electricity responded to the live current fluctuating through my veins. I raised my hands into the air and watched sparks jump from one hand to the other. As my body raged I clenched my left fist and felt all the energy pooling together in my hand.

"Whoa chap steady there. Be careful where you point…"

My hand unfolded like a rose about to blossom and released the blue light my appendage held. I opened my eyes to find Chuck sitting against the far wall rubbing his head and a section of the wall above him sizzling.

"Man I been told about some bad reactions to splicing but yours has to take the cake. Nearly shot my head like you were Zeus himself come to kill his father."

"Heh, my bad," I replied sheepishly.

"Of course my preference was a pistol. Not as clean though."

I stared at my new companion. "What did you say?"

"Oh, nothing. Just talking out loud. Hey, look at your shoulder."

The bandages covering my shoulder fell to the ground in a burning heap. I stared at my wound and found it completely healed except for a scar. "Heh all better."

"The wonders of plasmids chap."

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**Authors Notes: Well i guess i need to start by saying... Man it's been awhile. My Avatar story has me dragging threw the mud and it transfers to this story as well. In fact the only reason i pushed myself to start again was (mostly) because of somebody putting me down as one of their favorites. Can't remeber their name but thank you. I hope more of you will come to like this story... heck myself included. So anyway, what do you think of Chuck? Underneath he seems to have all the loving tenderness Chucky doll (No coincidence intend really). Also the whole unpurified plasma deal... genious huh yea i know. I have a modest side... somewhere but anyway blah blah blah POST!**


	4. Old memories

"Hey Mathew, should get going if we're going if we want to play the white knight."

I stared at the blood bath around me and felt the need to leave as well. "Aye let's show them how it's done Chuck."

"That's the spirit chap. Hey now you okay."

"I don't," I said before my face clenched up and my head whirled. But as soon as it the pain started it stopped and was replaced by noise of people… "I hear people talking out it the hall!"

"Take cover then!"

Jumping over the bar, I took out my pistol and flexed my pulsing hand watching the sparks fly. I watched Chuck disappear into thin air as he lay silent. I waited a moment before inching toward the broken door where I heard the voices speaking clearly.

"Hey did you bring em?"

"The cigars? Ya I brought them. Why'd you need them again?"

"It's news year man. And I felt like celebrating a little too before we tear down that door and everybody else in it. Pass one over."

"All right ya hopeless romantic, sheesh,"

"Hey you two keep it down will ya. Its about to start."

"Good thing too; I was getting bored. Hey they gave you incinerate right? Well light me before you do them hehe he."

As I listened to the conversation, I felt a sense of déjà vu. It was as if…

"5, 4, 3."

"That's our cue gents."

"2, 1, happy new year!"

All at once I saw a ghostly version of the broken door torn open and a flood of hideous people flying through with weapons blazing. I tried to strike the guy nearest me but went right through him. I turned to see the fellow shoot somebody point blank then grab a woman. Somebody tried to fight back but the man shot the other guy. I watched helplessly as the injured man fell off the balcony while the subdued woman cried out his name.

"Mathew! Mathew! Math…"

"Hey Mathew, you okay," Chuck repeated as he snapped his fingers in my face.

My eyes refocused and I saw no more ghostly figures. It was only Chuck and I standing in a desolate bar filled dead bodies.

"I saw you waving your hands around and then you seemed to blank out for a sec."

"I uh had dust falling on me and then I guess my head swam from the loss of blood from the wound."

"That all? Thought you'd snapped for sure. Hearing voices and all. We might as well be chasing ghost."

I looked at Chuck and then at the electricity flowing through my hand. "Uh yea, chasing ghost. Must have been my imagination but the place does seem grumbling a lot, like they structurally weakened it when they attacked."

"Hmm I hope not. Otherwise this will be a short lived rescue. In any case enough dawdling around. I'll take point while you take the rear."

"Aye. After you."

We proceeded through the corridor to the elevators. Chuck stopped and checked around inspecting the area. "Hey Mathew, help me look for clues as to where they went."

"You don't even know where they went? Well that was short lived."

"Just shut up and look alright."

I shook my head at the ludicrous of the situation. Elizabeth could be dead by now or worse, even worse, or… I could pull my head out of the gutter. Man I have some weird fantasies. Returning to the present I peeped over the guard rail at the plaza below. As I propped my head up with my hands my I remembered my short time with the woman I met. I remembered her screaming as they dragged her away. I could almost see them dragging her towards the entrance leading to the submersibles. I studied the ground and saw a body lying down there.

"Chuck, I see someone lying down there."

"ya do. Well let's check it out. Guns at the ready though."

We descended in the elevator to the floor below. The view from the steel cage was just as impressive as ever. The architectural design always caught my eye whenever I came here. I was the reason I decided to spend new years at Kashmir Restaurant. Well that and the fact that I did have enough money to afford going to Arcadia. A moment later the doors freed us again and we studied the area.

"Blood everywhere…," I said wondering how such a place could come to this.

"Yep and it's the wrong season too."

I chuckled a bit as we braced ourselves on either side of the elevator lobbies' double doors. As they slide open we whirled around it to find a mutated man sitting against the far wall with a cigar in his mouth. I could hear him gurgling blood as I approached. He saw us and raised his hand.

"Look out!"

I felt Chuck grab me aside as the plant next to me turned to ice. I rushed over to the dying man and tore his hand aside before he could strike again.

"You filth," Chuck said grabbing the man by his collar. "Where did your cohorts retreat to?"

The man dropped the cigar from his mouth and spat a noticeable amount of blood on the ground. "Heh he, never really were mine 'cohorts'. A guy gets a little picky and draws the short straw huh."

"Tell me now or I'll."

"You'll what bub," the man wheezed coughing up more blood. "Kill me? You think you're Fontaine or something? I think I'll beat you… to the."

The man's head swayed back as he breathed his last. In his anger, Chuck let the man crumple to the floor. I just sat there and rubbed my temples continuously. The only thing I could think of was to make use of the man's plasmid.

"Hey chuck, give me the syringe. I might as well grab the winter blast plasmid from the guy."

"Yah good thinking man. Just stick it in his chest but mind his ribs cause you can dent the thing and I don't have a spare."

I inserted the syringe like I saw Chuck to earlier and extract the plasmid from the corpse. I braced myself as I injected the goo but hardly felt a thing as plasmid took over. I looked at Chuck who only laughed.

"Expected something else didn't ya?"

I picked up a crumpled newspaper and saw a headline for Fontaine Fisheries. "Naw but I have an idea. That mutated guy mentioned that Fontaine guy. The paper says he's the guy that took over the fishing market."

"Wait, Frank Fontaine, he must be trying to pick up his business."

"You know the guy?"

"What? Oh, no I don't know the guy. Just read the papers same as you. Must have missed that edition."

"So, Fontaine Fisheries then?"

"Yep, Fontaine Fisheries. God help whoever we cross."

Before tossing the paper I check the horoscope. Cancer seemed very bleak but my luck seemed to be getting better so far. Too good in fact. I really needed a mirror to laugh at myself for being superstitious .

**Author's Notes: I seem to keep finding bugs, errors, and etc that send me back to fix/update what i written/posted so far. In ch. 3 I totally forgot i had Mathew shot. It was an easy fix but very embarrassing to begin with. I do realize that my punctuation is sometimes lacking and if you do find it atrocious please let me know but only if you know how to properly correct it. thank you.**


	5. Lament of the beast

"Elizabeth, Elizabeth!" I screamed throughout the hallway.

"Come to me, Find me, and ravage me."

The voice echoed as I neared the staircase at the end of the hallway. Having leapt down most of the stairs, my feet hardly touched the ground before I'd regained my pace. She needed me and I wouldn't let her down.

"Please don't leave me to drown. I don't want to die."

My heart surged at her words. I rounded the next corner only to find a broken access door sealing off the next room. The door squealed under the pressure as the water thrashed the opposite side. In my despair I began splicing myself with any plasmid I thought useful. My sanity meant little to me if I could just save the woman who is special to me. With my DNA in tatters I began pounding the door, melting it, and destroying it with any and all means.

"Please, rescue me. I'll love you forever if you do."

I tried to shout a reply but couldn't speak. The words couldn't form in my brain or mouth. I could only continue beating up the obstacle that separated us. The metal door finally gave way and I threw it like a sack of potatoes. The water gushed past me leaving only leaving a sun kissed light that warmed me to the core. Out the light stepped-

"Erzbet," I gurgled trying to pronounce her name.

"Elizabeth," Chuck called out.

"Chuck," Elizabeth cried out in delight.

The two of them clasped each other kissing passionately while I watched in silent dismay. I hobbled forward reaching out the one love I had tried so hard to liberate. Elizabeth eyes leapt in my direction and she looked fearful.

"It's okay dear. He's alright," replied Chuck to her reaction. "He's a harmless Brute who's been selflessly been assisting me."

Elizabeth's face returned to the rosy smile I had always loved. She held out her small hand and shook my finger. It was then that I realized that it wasn't her hand that was small but my hand that was monstrous. It looked horrendously bulky and ugly. I twisted around to look at the rest of myself and found the same if not worse. My legs tripped themselves clumsily sending me falling face first into a puddle of water. I lifted my dripping head from the little pool of liquid and watched the ripples die away. The image cleared revealing a face; my face. It was cancerous and warped.

"Meg fath," I cried out. I began to panic as water surrounded me. I tried to breach the water's surface but found myself sinking. I closed my eyes only to reopen them a second later in a sparsely lit bathysphere.

Chuck looked at me and smiled. "Have a good nap then?"

"Eh, it was alright. I think I was dreaming though."

Chuck looked down at his machine gun and checked the drum. "Ya, what about."

"Can't remember for my life. I think it very odd though."

"What, you if front of an audience naked or something."

"Naw nothing like that. I think my girl was in it."

"Little hanky-panky dream huh. Lucky bastard."

"I guess so." My mind seemed to wander outside the porthole and into the blue murky water. I thought about my determination to save Elizabeth and my reasons for wanting too. Was I too much of a gentleman to do otherwise. All chivalry and heroic. Had to be more to it than that. Was I smitten by the damsel in distress? Probably.

"Say Chuck."

"Yah?"

"Ever felt as if you were awake but really asleep and dreamin?"

"Maybe once or twice. What of it?"

"Well lately I've been feelin the opposite. Like I'm living a dream only it's a nightmare."

"I can't really say that I blame you Matthew. Hideous people spewing fire and all sorts like demons. It's a wonder the end times haven't come to claim the rest of us. But right now you'd better get ready cause whether you feel like it a dream or not bullets still hurt and fire still burns. And this," he nodded to the bathysphere's door opening, "is our stop."

I peered through the opening with at the ready. The sign above the loading dock said 'Welcome to Neptune's Bounty'. But what greeted up were the sounds of war and death.

"You know I hear Arcadia is nice this time of year," I commented.

"Well, we'll have to go greet its inhabitants after we shake hands with the sorry blokes here then huh."

"Why not."


	6. Enigma of Mind

We snuck out of the bathysphere hoping our arrival hadn't been announced. To our luck, only a stiff pegged to the wall and a bored Big Daddy welcomed our sorry entrance. Eager to keep it that way we treaded lightly through the first corridor. I could hardly guess as to what tore through the place. Water was leaking everywhere as well as uncontrolled fires. It looked like the results of a major skirmish had taken its toll on the place. I would later find out how right I was.

"Hey look at that," I said pointing to a fish flopping on the wooden floor.

"That's a weird site."

"By the way, what do you do when you see a little fish hopping around?"

"I'd know. Fry it?"

"Naw. Stop laughing, reload, and shoot the other leg."

I had to admit, even though it wasn't the best time for a pun, I really could have cared less. It was damn funny. We started laughing 'til I saw Chuck tearing up.

"That's, (chuckle) that was. Where the hell did you hear that one?"

"I," I began but when I thought about it. "I actually don't recall. Heard it somewhere though."

"Hmmm well it sounds like a good idea anyway."

Chuck pulled out his revolver and pointed it at the fish. I watched the man bob his weapon up and down trying to shoot the fish. The scene was almost as comical as my joke

"Common man, it's not like you get an achievement for wasting ammo on em."

"I just want a head…"

It was at that moment I heard a conversation to close for comfort.

"I swear it. Someone was laughing their ass off through here."

"It was probably just Miss…"

The steel door between the corridor and the fish market opened allowing me and my friend to get front row seats to three sets of pearly yellows staring down at us.

"Son-of-a…" was all the woman could get out before I kicked the still flopping fish in her face. Chuck got three shots off before ducking around the corner next to me. The third guy chased Chuck around the corner with a pistol. He looked surprised to see me standing right there and raised his weapon. But before the round discharged I shot ice into the barrel. The weapon shattered sending us both flying backward.

When my ears stopped ringing I found myself to be untouched while the other guy lay still against the far wall with a bleeding forehead where s piece of shrapnel had entered. Lying on the floor, I started to laugh a little. Chuck walked up and helped me onto my feet. For my first battle I would have to say I felt a little rattled. I'd have to work on that.

"feelin aright?"

"More or less," I replied. "That fish came in handy though. It was funny to see her choke on it."

"Choke? When did she choke?"

"Well, whatever. You still killed her anyway."

"No I didn't. I bagged the second one and you…"

"Miss me boys?" Across the docks the woman stood there with a box in her hands. She reached into her box and grabbed a rusty pea can. "Bye, bye boys," she said lighting the fuse on the can and hurling it toward us.

I watched the can sail through the air as if transfixed by the object of my demise. I remember thinking to myself, 'I bet those peas would have already expired'. I would have continued staring if something shiny hadn't bothered my peripherals. My eyes turned toward a steel pipe broken off an exposed duct. Ignoring Chuck's warnings, I grabbed the pipe and swung the length of if at the can. A loud whack could be heard as the tin can unwillingly returned to its owner. But before it could connect the can slowed to a halt in front of the woman's hand.

"Hah ha, did you really think it…" was all the woman had time to say before the can exploded in her just past her grasp.

"Ah, aaah, ghaaaaa. My hand," the woman screamed as she stared at the bloody stump where her left upper appendage use to be. "You! You bastards." With the loss of her remaining marbles, the cow drew her pistol and charged toward us.

She was quick but I was quicker. I fired two shots both ripping the weapon from her grasp. With gun gone the crazed woman still charged.

(Bang)

My eyes widened as I saw the woman body rag doll to the floor when the bullet penetrated her skull and scrambled her cranium. I turned toward Chuck who was eyeballing me.

"Great shot man," was all he could muster.

My eyes followed my right arm to the revolver it was holding. The fresh smoke still rolled from the barrel. Without thinking, I had reacted. And I knew for a fact that I was no crack-shot. Something about a broad side of the barn or other. But there was the perfectly centered hole on her head.

"I knew you had the resolve Mathew but mad shootin skills as well."

"Ah, well you know. 'When in Rome' and all that."

"Well I bet the Roman's were good at lootin as well. To the winner go the spoils. Of course you have first pick at the plasmid if you want."

"Why not," I replied reaching for my syringe. While I completed the task I noted that the woman had a very nice rack despite her twisted face. A moment later I was the proud owner of three plasmids. Electro-bolt, Winter blast, and Telekinesis are now within my grasp. At the moment I did have to admit: I felt like I could take on a Big Daddy… if he were mostly dead.

**Author's Notes: Fight, fight, kill, death, suck, and splice. But isn't that pretty much all you freaken do in the game? Basically the reason for the fights/splicing is to show basically what happens when someone splices for the 1st time and likes it! I'm trying to put the 2 in too spliced up. This is your brain... this is your brain on plasmids. Story mode next time...**


	7. Ignorant consultations

"So that's it huh. Fontaine's Fisheries… more like Fontaine's impregnable fort to me."

I turned my head back around the corner and scratched the itch on my head with the front site of my revolver. "Securities going to be tight I bet. Hey he got us here; maybe he knows a thing or two about what's inside."

Chuck threw the sack he was carrying on the ground. I winced when the sack made a grunt from the impact. Quickly untying the sack, I slid it off with little effort. Inside was the sorry bloke he had run into an hour before. Chuck immediately recognized the skinny man to be a fellow named Patrick; one of Fontaine's thugs, albeit a terrible one. His only redeeming quality was that it took forever to get anything out of him. Cost him five broken fingers and a blown off big toe before we could get the location as to a hideout. I kept mentally slapping myself for his obvious answer.

"I doubt we're going to get anymore out of 'em," he said untying the gag around Patrick's mouth.

The moment his mouth was free, Patrick spat at Chuck. "Fuck you guys. Fontaine will have you drounin in your own fluids for this."

Chuck looked at me and I back at him. He motioned back as I protested. "Come-on I not good at this."

"Ever smacked a brat for stealing your wallet then using your identity to buy hookers?"

"No I can't say that I have. You?"

"I was really drunk that night. Not sure what I did. But just imagine the guy stole your girlfriend or something."

"She's not my girlfriend yet. I have to save her first."

"Until then she's up for grabs?"

"Well sort of…"

"Can I go now? You guys are givin me a headache, jeez," said Patrick rolling his eyes.

"Oh right, forgot. So he's hitting on my girlfriend then?"

"Awe for the love of…. Whatever works man," Chuck replied throwing up his hands in defeat.

"Right, stealing my girlfriend." I then nodded to Patrick, "You ever have that problem."

"What do you care, screw you guys."

"I'll take that as a 'no' then. Hey do me a favor and say Caroline."

"Caroline? Why, she sounds hot."

"Eh err, that will work." I punched the guy in the jaw. He rolled on the ground gritting his pulsating mouth.

"Hey," Chuck jumped in, "He's gonna need that to talk."

"Ah, my bad. I told you I was bad at this." I proceeded to prop Patrick against the wall. "Sorry about that man. Let's start over."

The man stared at me with blood-shot eyes. He spat blood at me but I caught it with his gag. I looked at the blood and saliva pooling in the clothe and found a tooth lying in it.

"We'll pack this in ice for you. Chuck. Here catch." I tossed the mess to him.

"Broke his tooth did you? Good start."

"Yah, whatever. Anyway, what should we expect to meet in there?"

Patrick kept his bleeding mouth closed. He then proceeded to form another ball of saliva in his mouth.

"Wrong answer," I brought a fist against the left side of his nose then the right. His nose began to drain like a leaking faucet and my hand began to hurt… a little. Despite this I pulled back for another one when Chuck grabbed my arm.

"What? I thought you wanted me to get it done?"

"I said I wanted you to interrogate him, not tear his face to shreds. Which if I had asked you to I would definitely say you're getting the job done. How in the hell you expect any man to talk when his brains are being mashed from side to side?"

"I told you I didn't know how to do this. I graduated college with a associates degree on things that live in the ocean not how to torture information out of a person!"

"I… I," Chuck began. "I think you're a nerd. Haha ha. A fishy nerd."

"Well I think fish make for better company than some people I could mention. Taste better too."

"Whoa, fish taste better than people? When did you try that comparison hmmm? "

"Heh hee he," Patrick sputtered, "Are mommy and daddy fightin, hee hee?"

I looked at Chuck and he back at me. He motioned with his thumb across his neck and I nodded.

"Hey (cough) I was only joking. You don't Ghaaaaaa." Patrick body began to shake as I humbled him with electro-bolt. A moment later he lay unconscious.

"Sooo chap, I believe it's your turn to carry the sod."

"It's my turn for everything isn't it."

"Well if you didn't make me do everythin."

"Whatever just where to next?"

"I dunno? But I'd like to be better prepare for this shit. And I know where to restock and dump this useless guy."

"Who'd want him. When his buddies find out he's been caught they'd probably try to kill him rather than let him squeal. Not like it would be easy though. He'd have to be guarded in a jail cell for his own… Coppers?"

"Aye, the badges themselves. They get a useless guy and we get useful toys."

**Author's Notes: So if your reading this (I know you are) then please don't read "fall of the airbenders" then. I didn't realize this until now but part of the plot is TOOOOOOOOOO similar to the point where i smack myself. Not so much a carbon copy just please don't do it. But seriously Nicole is dead. Homage baby!**


	8. Significant resolutions

"That's the fifth freakin' security camera we've had to waltz around while carryin this deadweight."

Chuck had been complaining ever since he had stubbed his toe on a loose plank while carrying the lump named Patrick. I would be happier too when we finally would get to dump him with the men in blue.

"Well it's a good thing they can't hear us as well or the whirlies would have already had their say," I retorted.

"Some little shit of a techie had the cheek to rig that last one at the far end of the stairs."

"And when you find him Chucky pal make sure to tan him for his good thinkin. Well anywho…"

"Oh honey I've missed you soooo much."

You know, I hate ghost. Apparitions and whatnot. But you know what's worse? When they're not ghost but your still 'seeing things'. By now I had gotten used to the eerie feeling that someone was watching me or I was seeing something.

"…we're almost there," I said finishing my interrupted thought.

"I missed you too peaches. The boss has us crackin down hard on the place. Makes a man hungry for more than just his daily meal."

"Well maybe this will take the edge off," said the woman retrieving a bottle from around her back.

"I haven't seen that kinda scotch in years. You've been smuggling baby. I ought to bend you over."

"Just try it and see what happens."

My eyes silently followed the trail of smooth talk and saw two wispy characters embracing each other. Felt jealous… not sure why. The man with the moves proceeded to dip the 'peach' backward and suck the nectar from her neck with his lips. My irregular jealousy was replaced with surprise when I saw the woman's face.

"She's the one I killed," I whispered.

"Hey Matts. You okay," Chuck said reshifting Patrick.

As we kept trotting closer to my false apparitions I could swear she was staring at me. "Uh ya, what of it?"

"Just nothing. Seemed dazed or out of sorts."

I shrugged his opinion while keeping an eye on the love birds.

"Hey toots."

"Yes Tony. Oh can't get enough?"

"Hah ha. You know how to please a man. But first you need to tell your thug-friends the man is bum rushing the fisheries again. Thinks it will work this time. I told him I didn't agree hehe."

"Oh that stuck up busy body. Ryan needs to loosen his leash on the poor poor man… so I can tighten mine on you."

"Oooh damn woman. I gonna need to call a sick day cause of you."

"Well don't keep me waiting too long. I get lonely when the men stop calling me."

"Sure too"

The ghostly scene faded against the musty wall and the hallway was silent once more if one didn't count the constant dripping.

(snap, snap)

My attention returned again to see a pair of carpals flashing in front of me.

"Hey mate, you ready?" Charlz stated handing over the partial stiff. "The plan?"

"The plan," I exclaimed shifting Patrick over to my good shoulder. "But I figured on changing it up."

Charlie had already pulled out his pistol confirming its condition. "Eh, what change? Don't chicken out on me now."

"I just want the first move." Before Chuck could reply I thrust my hand forward and gave him a telekinetic blast. The force blew back his arm causing him to fire at the pipes in the ceiling. While he dealt with the liquids spraying out of the pipe, I took the package and hobbled around the corner towards the coppers office. My wish for a warm welcome was interrupted by a turret set to kill. By pure luck I tripped sideways out of its reach and against the wall.

"Hey boys," someone shouted on the other side of the barricade. "Another sods trying to get himself killed."

"Hey, I need help out here. They're on my tail," I shouted my plea hoping the act would work. Several shots fired hitting the cement wall above my head. I turned to see a wet Charley pissed as a bull resisting the urge to stop pretending. Instinctively I stretched out my hand and fired a couple bolts off. "Please for the love of God, save me."

I had thought our plan trashed if not for the chap twisting his head around the corner.

"Oye, why should we help a petty drownin fish. Huh. Human decency? You don't want that. Putin you splicers out of your misery would be the human thing to do."

I grabbed Patrick and edged my way toward the entryway. A flash of fire surged over my head and I almost panicked. "I-I got somebody you'd be interested in." I rolled the lump over revealing the chump's face. To my surprise and delight I could hear the man cussing.

"So you've got a man on our list. How are we supposed to know whether this is a ruse or not. You might as well be turning in your own to get the next fix. You're a splicer same as the next. Give me a good reason to believe you've still got your humanity? Try telling me why you spliced in the first place Hmmm."

I felt fire radiate from my shoulder and saw that it was bleeding. Blast that chuck. What was he thinking?

"Because," I sputtered under the pain.

"What? Because? Poor blighter you are. Not much for brains are you. My gram ,may she rest in peace, could produce a better one than that on her deathbed. But I'll tell you what… I'll do you a favor."

An explosion propelled Patrick and I forward. I looked up gritting my teeth so see a rifle pointed in my direction.

"So mate. Let's try this again. And try to remember: the dead don't lie."

I felt my heart racing faster than my mind. Our plan had failed and my life was about to follow. I thought of voyage I made to Rapture and the mistake it turned out to be. I remembered my research and studying the vast life that lived so deep in the ocean. I thought of that night when Mary called out my name to rescue her. I remember feeling helpless.

"Because she asked me to help her and I failed!"

I opened my eyes realizing I had closed them. The man no longer pointed his rifle my way but had walked off.

A second later another man appeared around the corner. He had a blue jelly like ball in his hand. "Hey you, Johnny Topside, don't move." He chucked the orb at me causing it to burst all over me. "Now grab your man and run like your ex wife had found your gun collection!"

With a grunt I scooped up Patrick for the last time and stumbled past the turret that seemed to take no notice of me. The moment I stepped past the barricade hands reached out and took the prisoner while others held me up. A flask was offered into my trembling hands and I drank whole heartedly. That is until my throat rejected it and I coughed half it up.

"Heh he. I think he likes it."

I studied my rescuer. He wore a soiled uniform and had humongous side burns that met his wooly beard on both sides.

"Mcdonagh's the name. Glad you could drop in," he laughed extending his hand to me.

"Mathew Prince," I replied shaking his hand.

**Author's Notes: For the last blah blah I haven't felt like blah-ing at all. When I'm bored my mind wanders back to this story and i begin munching on it. Sometimes I come up with something and i'll either forget it or right it. Keep reading!**


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